HOUSTON, TX. March 28, 2017 - The Woodlands - BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Kristina Turner area director of marketing for the Forbes Four Star-rated Villas of Grand Cypress, a Gemstone Collection property, and The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property that opened its first phase on March 10, 2017. Both resorts are located near Walt Disney World® in Orlando, Florida. Ted Davis, chief sales & marketing office for Benchmark, made the announcement.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Kristina to our company, ” said Mr. Davis. “Not only is she supremely qualified, but she comes to us with extensive knowledge and insights into the Orlando resort market, which will serve these two remarkable properties well. We look forward to her leadership at both resorts.”

Kristina Turner comes to Benchmark with nearly two decades of sales and marketing experience. She was most recently director of eCommerce for Hilton, where she led a team of 16 professionals overseeing 600 franchise properties in Florida, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Southeast Atlantic region. Prior to this Ms. Turner served as the regional eCommerce manager for Hilton. She began with the company as regional coordinator of sales & marketing.

Ms. Turner graduated from Everest University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She was part of Hilton’s prestigious High Performer program. Kristina Turner and her husband reside in St. Cloud, Florida, where they also own and operate 3Beez Honey Farm, Inc.

About Villas of Grand Cypress

A hidden oasis tucked away in Orlando's Lake Buena Vista neighborhood (adjacent to Walt Disney World®), Villas of Grand Cypress presents a Forbes Four Star, AAA Four Diamond experience unique to the area. Tree lined roads weave through this 1, 500-acre retreat that offers 146 elegantly appointed guest suites and villas framing 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature-designed golf. Accommodations at the Villas of Grand Cypress range from oversized suites to 2, 800 square-foot four-bedroom villas, complete with full kitchens, living and dining areas, fireplaces, and extended patios for lounging and grilling. A strong emphasis on luxury service culture adds to a comprehensive roster of amenities that rival that of a large-scale resort: golf enthusiasts can perfect their swing with state-of-the-art learning technologies at the Grand Cypress Academy of Golf while non-golfers explore an abundance of other offerings, including on-site dining, in-room spa services, a swimming pool, bicycle rentals, fitness center, fishing, and access to the Grand Cypress Racquet Club, jogging and walking trails, and watersports on Lake Windsong. www.grandcypress.com

About The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando

The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando opened its first phase in March 2017 as an expansive 106-acre hotel destination located just minutes from the west entrance of Walt Disney World®. Set on Lake Austin and amid a portion of Central Florida’s conservation grounds, the resort is a sanctuary from the boisterous pace of the outside world, neighboring theme parks, luxury shopping, and entertainment centers. The Grove launched with 184 of its 878 residential-style suites with full kitchens, full-size washers and dryers, multiple bathrooms, and screened patios that offer guests all the comforts of home, while the resort’s hearty collection of amenities deliver the luxuries of a full-service resort. Guests currently enjoy three swimming pools, a selection of watersports at The Grove’s Lake Austin Pier, the intimate Escape Spa, fitness center, and a children’s game room, as well as food and drink options that include the large-scale grab-and-go-style Alfresco Market, Element and Zest lounges. 6, 000 square feet of flexible space is available for weddings, family reunions, and other meetings and special events. Additional amenities will open later this year, including the three meal-a-day Valencia restaurant and the poolside Springs Bar & Grill. Added guest accommodations and The Grove’s signature Surfari Water Park with an interactive water structure with multiple slides, a lazy river stretching more than 725 feet, and a dual rider surf simulator, as well as its own poolside eatery, Longboard Bar & Grill, are also planned for 2017. The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando is managed by Houston, Texas-based BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company. For more information, please visit www.GroveResortOrlando.com. Follow The Grove via Facebook.com/thegroveresortorlando and on Twitter and Instagram at @thegroveresort.

About BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company

BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, is a trailblazer in the development, management, marketing and owner-advisory services of resorts, hotels, conference centers and exclusive private clubs. In addition to the company’s iconic Benchmark Resorts & Hotels portfolio, the Gemstone Collection is a distinctive luxury portfolio of independent hotels & resorts in highly preferred destinations. BENCHMARK’S distinguished and proven reputation is deeply-rooted in core values that are focused and aligned with exceeding ownership and stakeholder performance expectations. The combined portfolios feature nearly 70 unique and distinctive properties domestically and internationally. The company leadership and valued employees are passionately committed to delivering the industry’s most authentic, enchanted, soulful, vibrant, unrivaled and memory-making experience. BENCHMARK’S progressive “Be The Difference” culture and values are a cornerstone to the company’s nearly 40 years of extraordinary achievement and prosperity. Many properties have been recognized with the Benchmark Conference Centers® mark of meeting excellence. BENCHMARK, a global hospitality company, is based in The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, and has regional offices in Park City, Utah; Miami, Florida; New Brunswick, New Jersey; Seattle Washington; and Tokyo, Japan. www.benchmarkglobalhospitality.com To become a fan on Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/BenchmarkResortsandHotels, www.facebook.com/GemstoneHotelCollection. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BenchmarkHotels, www.twitter.com/GemstoneHotels , on Instagram at www.instagram.com/benchmarkresortsandhotels, www.instagram.com/gemstonehotels, and on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/benchmarkhotels/gemstone-hotels . At LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com/company/benchmark-hospitality

About Marriott International

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in
Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 4, 200 properties in 80 countries and territories.
Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises
hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW
Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott
Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence
Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has
been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the
award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together
surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for
the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

Hotel Newswire Top Pick

Over the past 25 years, the Sheraton Seattle’s Gingerbread Village has become one of the most anticipated holiday attractions in Seattle, drawing more than 200, 000 visitors each year while raising funds to help researchers end Type 1 diabetes. Since 1992, the Sheraton Seattle’s expert culinary team has partnered with acclaimed local architecture firms and the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties to design, bake and delight crowds with intricate, larger-than-life gingerbread designs. The event is free to the public, but donations to the Northwest Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation are encouraged. As a tribute to the city, this year’s theme embraces Seattle’s past and future, prompting us to look back at how Gingerbread Village grew from a modest event to a beloved Seattle tradition as well as a highly effective sales, marketing and public relations tool. Read more.

Mobile Technology: Relentless Innovation

Technology has become a crucial component in attracting and retaining hotel guests, and the need to enhance a guest’s technology experience is driving a relentless pace of innovation. To meet and exceed guest expectations, 54% of hotels will spend more on technology in 2018, and mobile solutions in particular will top the list of capital investments. Many hotels are integrating mobile booking, mobile keys, mobile payments and mobile check-in into their operations. Other hotels are emphasizing the in-room experience, boosting bandwidth and upgrading flat screen TVs to more easily interface with guest mobile devices. And though not yet mainstream, there are many exciting technology developments on the near horizon. The Internet of Things (loT) is taking form in some places, and can be found in guest room control systems, voice activation systems, and in wearable sensors that can be used for access and payment options. Virtual reality headsets are available at some hotels so guests can enjoy virtual trips to exotic locations or if off-property, preview conference facilities and guest rooms. How long will it be before a hotel employs a fleet of robots for room service, or utilizes a hologram as a concierge, or installs gesture-controlled walls that feature interactive digital displays? Some hotels are already using augmented reality for translation services, or interactive wall maps, or even virtual décor. This pace of innovation is challenging property owners and brands to stay on top of the latest technology trends while still addressing current projects. The January Hotel Business Review will explore what some hotels are doing to maximize their opportunities in the mobile technology space.